Led by mother-daughter Artistic Directors Ranee Ramaswamy and Aparna Ramaswamy (named one of Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch” in 2010), Ragamala Dance has been featured at prestigious festivals and theaters worldwide for seamlessly carrying Bharatanatyam, the classical dance of southern India, into the 21st century while respecting the form’s rich tradition. With each new project, Ranee and Aparna push the boundaries of Bharatanatyam and convey what it means to be 21st century choreographers working within a classical, culturally-based tradition. “Under the direction of Ranee and Aparna Ramaswamy, the dancers render Bharatanatyam’s ancient gestural code, a spirited and spiritual language that speaks directly to the gods, both lucid and exuberant.” –Dance MagazineRagamala continues its 2010 touring season in Detroit with an exciting evening of work:

Ardhanareeshwara Stotram—the origin of creation is conceived as the celestial unity of the Divine Feminine, Shakti, and the Divine Masculine, Shiva. The transcendent balance of Ardhanareeshwara (the representation of God as half-male and half-female) reflects the constant symmetry of the world itself. Performed by internationally acclaimed soloist Aparna Ramaswamy, the ancient hymn known as the Ardhanareeshwara Stotram is a sublime homage to the sacred concept of duality.

The creation and 2008-2009 U.S. tour of Sva are made possible in part by the Japan Foundation through the Performing Arts Japan Program, and the Doris Duke Fund for Dance of the National Dance Project (a program administered by the New England Foundation for the Arts with funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, the Ford Foundation, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, JP Morgan Chase Foundation and MetLife Foundation). Sva was created with support from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Jerome Foundation, and the Minnesota State Arts Board, through an appropriation by the Minnesota State Legislature and a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.

ABOUT RAGAMALA DANCE

Drawing from the exquisite Pandanallur tradition of Bharatanatyam, Ragamala’s Artistic Directors Ranee Ramaswamy and Aparna Ramaswamy bring to their audience a synthesis of the philosophy, mythology, and spirituality of their Indian heritage. Ragamala company members have been chosen for intensive study which steeps the dancer in the vocabulary, form, line, and spirit of Bharatanatyam. Combined with artistic virtuosity and aesthetic beauty, they present this highly sophisticated Indian dance tradition with contemporary ideas and multi-level collaborations and commissions.

ABOUT BHARATANATYAM

The Indian dance system is the oldest and most comprehensive in the world, and Bharatanatyam is amongst the oldest of its classical forms. Bharatanatyam is comprised of two distinct components: ntritta, or abstract dance, utilizes a vocabulary of classical steps to create complex rhythmic patterns; and nritya, or expressive dance, utilizes the language of gesture, called abhinaya, to express various themes from Hindu mythology, usually those of love and devotion. Integrating elements of music, theater, poetry, sculpture, and literature, this multi-dimensional art is part of a dynamic living tradition that offers an infinite scope for understanding and exploring the body, mind, and spirit.